A season-ending Atari Bigby groin injury, a season-ending Darrell Stuckey hamstring injury, and an Eric Weddle concussion in the same game were what it took last year for Marcus Gilchrist to see snaps at safety.

The switch from cornerback was fourth-quarter desperation.

This year, it's design.

The Chargers plan to take a long look at Gilchrist in the safety role, where there is belief the position could prove his best fit. He's seen some reps there this offseason during the team's voluntary workout program, the third-year veteran recently confirmed.

As positions go, Gilchrist isn't picky.

“Wherever I can help the team,” he said in a phone interview. “If that means playing corner and helping the team, then that's where I'll be. If it means safety, that's where I'll be. Wherever the coaches feel I can help the team best.”

An argument can be made for either spot. That said, Gilchrist would add some needed NFL experience at safety.

Five are listed on the roster. Of the four not named Weddle, the group has combined for 51 career NFL defensive snaps, or fewer than the snap total of an average game.

Brandon Taylor, a 2012 third-round choice, accounts for 40 of those reps but is rehabbing from January surgery to repair a torn ACL, putting his status for the July start of training camp in question. The other safeties are special teams ace Stuckey, second-year vet Sean Cattouse and Jahleel Addae, an undrafted rookie from Central Michigan.

Weddle and Taylor are the only Chargers safeties to have logged an NFL defensive snap in 2012.

Gilchrist has taken most of his 919 career defensive reps in the league at cornerback, particularly in the slot. Last year's move to safety came against the Ravens after three of the Chargers' four safeties exited the game with injuries, leaving Corey Lynch at strong safety and a vacancy Gilchrist filled at free.

Well before that game, the 24-year-old was familiar with the position.

At Clemson, he played both safety and cornerback, manning center field as recently as 2009. At 185 pounds, the junior had 96 tackles, third most on the team, with one sack and three forced fumbles. He mixed the positions in high school, too. At age 8, when playing organized football for the first time, he was a safety.

The 5-foot-10 Gilchrist is about 193 pounds. He doesn't anticipate needing to add extra bulk to his frame for safety — "I'm a pretty strong guy, no matter my weight," he said — pointing to the weight at which he played at Clemson, back when he logged a 7.42 power index, making him the strongest pound-for-pound player on the team.

He sees little difference in strong or free safety, calling them "interchangeable" in coordinator John Pagano's defense.

Versatility was among the reasons the Chargers took Gilchrist in the 2011 second round.

"It's one of those things where I came in knowing I needed to know everything," Gilchrist said. "So I've always, from day one, been preparing for corner or safety. ... I just want to make plays. That's what I'm looking forward to, just making plays wherever I'm at."